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Monday, 23 September 2013

Nature Inspired Jewellery Making Craft for Children

Although this blog post may seem very much like a children's craft tutorial on how to make a bracelet, the purpose behind it is for children to so see that nature can be used creatively as inspiration for their jewellery making and arts and crafts generally.

Autumn Leaves for Inspiration

Here we made a bracelet that children can make themselves using the same pack of beads as previously used to make the blackberry inspired bracelets here.

This time we chose brightly coloured beads which were the same colours as the autumn leaves. We threaded them to make a stretchy bracelet in this manner.

DIY bracelet for children to make

When learning to create, skills are needed which can be built upon, little by little, in the future.
So here is the craft tutorial too!

To make this style bracelet you will need a good length of round elastic (approx 1 meter)
For children to make a bracelet like this, the holes in the beads must be large enough for the elastic to fit through twice. We used 1mm width elastic and these beads are perfect for doing that.
The advantage of using elastic rather than cord is that it is comfortable for children to wear and as it will stretch, it enables them to put on and take off their jewellery independently.

Instructions -
Select the colour beads from the pack (or choose random colours, if you prefer)
Fold the elastic into two, then make a knot the same size as one of the beads at the folded end.

How to start

Taking each length of elastic individually, thread each end through the same bead in the opposite direction from one another. (One end goes from left to right, the other will go though the same hole, right to left)

Thread the beads

Tie a knot when there are sufficient beads to sit comfortably round the child's wrist.

Tie A knot

Thread a few beads on each strand of elastic beyond the knot to finish off and knot to secure.

Finish off

To fasten the bracelet, thread the ends through the first loop.

The knot should hold it in place on the wrist or it can be wrapped around the first bead.